This invention relates to belts used as clothing accessories, specifically to a readily installed and rapidly detachable flexible sleeve system for belts, as well as a method for its manufacture, into which a belt having a buckle with a tongue can be at least partially inserted and secured by the tongue to cover the entire front surface of the belt with a variety of materials having different colors, textures, and designs, and thereby make each belt used with the system more versatile as a fashion accessory. Each sleeve of the present invention has a reinforced aperture near to one of its ends for anchoring a belt buckle""s tongue, and a two-part quick-release fastener with each fastener part located at an independent spaced-apart distance on opposite sides of the reinforced aperture, a first fastener part being located on the back surface of the sleeve close to the end of the sleeve adjacent to the reinforced aperture, and the second fastener part either being attached to the rear surface of the belt or to the back surface of the sleeve. Each sleeve also has a transverse opening through which the non-buckle end of the belt is secured and at least one aperture in the distal end of the sleeve adapted for facilitating alignment of the tongue with the holes in the non-buckle end of the belt. Each sleeve of the present invention is further configured so that when it is in its usable position upon a belt, it will not interfere with the routine fastening and use of the belt during its garment support function. Applications of the present invention can include, but are not limited to, decorating a single belt on successive occasions with different materials relating to the same or different holiday celebrations, use at sporting events to show support of a specific school or professional sports team, and to alternatively change the look of a single belt from a casual appearance to one that is suitable for more formal occasions so as to make the belt more versatile as a fashion accessory.
Although primarily serving a functional purpose, belts worn with apparel are also used to accessorize a garment and make a fashion statement. Many people own a variety of belts to have a diversity of color, material, and design for casual as well as more formal occasions. Additional belts are often purchased to accessorize a specific outfit, and for special occasion use, such as belts with color combinations, designs, or attached hardware relating to a favorite sport, sports team, hobby, pet, or special interest. Although belts range widely in price according to the quality of the materials from which they are made and their design, the cost of creatively accessorizing a business or social wardrobe with a diverse selection of belts would be significant. Also, since belts can be bulky and their buckles sometimes make them difficult to store, a disadvantage to owning a large number of belts is the storage space needed to contain those not in use. The present invention offers a convenient, low in cost, and rapid means of changing the outer appearance of a belt so that a single belt could be used to accessorize an entire wardrobe. The belt sleeves of the present invention are also easy-to-use and more compactly stored than an identical number of belts, and since they can be produced in a nearly infinite variety of colors, textures, and patterns, they can cover a favorite belt to make its use suitable for every day as well as special occasion use.
The prior art believed to be most closely related to the present invention are the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 4,753,086 to Schmidt (1988), U.S. Pat. No. 2,087,620 to Lipton (1937), and U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,684 to Dye (1959). The Schmidt invention discloses a costume jewelry circlet having a variety of interchangeable tubular sleeves positioned over a string-like core that can be used as a bracelet, necklace, or belt. The Schmidt sleeve can be removed from the core by disengaging the ends of the core and simply pulling the sleeve off of the core. Both of the ends of the core in the Schmidt invention remain outside of its sleeve. In contrast, the non-buckle end of an underlying belt is positioned within the sleeve of the present invention during use. Also, the present invention has a transverse opening on the hidden surface of the sleeve and one or more openings through both the hidden and exposed surfaces of the sleeve on its distal end. Further, to maintain an optimum position relative to the underlying belt, the present invention is secured with a two-part quick-release fastener either to itself near the buckle or to the rear surface of the portion of the belt not covered by the sleeve. In contrast, the Schmidt invention discloses no fastener for securing its sleeve to its core. The present invention is also distinguishable from the Lipton invention which discloses a garter composed of elastic surrounded by a fabric sheath. The sheath of the Lipton invention has a cover flap for concealing an adjusting slide while also giving easy access to the slide when so needed for varying the length of the garter for the comfort of the wearer. Also, while the sheath of the Lipton invention does contain a transversely positioned buttonhole, it does not contain longitudinally positioned openings on the opposite end of the sheath. The present invention is also distinguishable from the Dye invention which discloses sheathes each configured for covering a belt to change the surface appearance thereof. Each Dye sleeve preferably has cross-stitching on each seam edge to eliminate bulging material and to facilitate turning the sheath inside out. The Dye sheath is also connected to a belt buckle via a clamping device rather than depending from its tongue. Further, the sheath of the Dye invention has no transverse opening, nor does the Dye invention have any longitudinal positioned openings on the opposite end of the sheath. It is not known to have a sleeve for changing the surface appearance of a belt with a tongue having the construction of the sleeve disclosed in the present invention, nor one with all of its advantages.
The primary object of this invention is to provide simple, easy-to-use, rapidly installed and removed sleeves in a variety of colors, textures, and designs that can be used to vary the outward appearance of a belt with a tongue so that it is possible for a single belt to be decorated and used for a multitude of festive occasions, at various sporting events to show support of a specific school or professional sports team, and at events requiring either casual or formal attire. A further object of this invention is to provide belt sleeves from a widely diverse selection of materials and at a cost that is generally lower than belt replacement. It is a further object of this invention to provide belt sleeves in materials not routinely used to make the main body of a belt so as to offer more diverse fashion choices beyond those currently available to the public. It is also an object of this invention to provide belt sleeves that do not require the handling of small, easily lost parts, or special tools. A further object of this invention is to provide belt sleeves that can be retrofitted for use with existing belts as well as constructed for use with a belt having a fastener attached thereto for specific use with such sleeves. It is also an object of this invention to provide belt sleeves having a configuration that does not interfere with the garment support function of the underlying belt.
As described herein, properly manufactured and used, the present invention would provide sleeves that could be used with a favorite belt having a tongue to change its appearance to suit a variety of special occasions. In the alternative, a belt designed and manufactured for specific use with such sleeves could be used. The sleeves would be made from a variety of flexible materials, with opposite sides of the sleeve being made from the same or different materials. Having the hidden surface of the sleeve, or a part of the hidden surface, made from a second type of material could provide an advantage when the exposed surface of the sleeve is made from very bulky or expensive material. The sleeves are simple in construction having a reinforced aperture near to its buckle end to anchor the sleeve to the tongue of a belt buckle, as well as one part of a two-part quick-release fastener attached to the sleeve between the reinforced aperture and its buckle end. The second part of the two-part quick-release fastener may alternatively be attached to the hidden part of the sleeve or to the rear surface of the belt. It is contemplated that a secure and permanent means of connection be used to attach the fasteners to the sleeve or to the belt, such as stitching, bonding agents, adhesives, or a combination thereof. When a sleeve of the present invention is to be retrofitted onto an existing belt without permanent alteration to the belt, the sleeve would have a hidden surface with an elongated pocket that extends between the distal end of the sleeve and a transverse opening in the hidden surface of the sleeve that is close in position to the reinforced aperture used for insertion of the belt buckle""s tongue. Also, the second part of a two-part quick-release fastener would be secured to the sleeve, and not to the belt, close to and distally positioned from the transverse opening used for insertion and withdrawal of the belt from the elongated pocket. In the alternative, a present invention sleeve could have a shortened hidden surface that would form a smaller pocket into which the non-buckle end of the belt is inserted during use. When a sleeve with a shortened pocket is used, the second part of the two-part quick-release fastener is attached to the belt. Attachment of the second fastener part to the belt can either be achieved during its manufacture, or retrofitted by the belt owner after manufacture. As a result, in a sleeve having a shortened pocket, instead of the belt being substantially encased within the sleeve""s pocket, the central portion of the sleeve between the reinforced aperture and the pocket""s opening would be pulled taut against the front surface of the belt. Sufficient lateral overlap of the exposed surface of the sleeve beyond the edges of the belt would prevent them from being visible to a casual observer. Other preferred embodiments could optionally comprise a selection of additional features, including but not limited to distal and proximal ends of various shapes, such as rounded, square, or tapered; various numbers and sizes of openings through both the hidden and exposed surfaces of the sleeve near to its distal end to facilitate rapid insertion of the buckle""s tongue through both the sleeve and the belt during simultaneous closure of the belt and sleeve; and the openings through the distal end of the sleeve having configurations which are oval, round, square, or in the form of an elongated slot.
The sleeves of the present invention are easy to use and can be rapidly secured over and removed from an underlying belt when the width dimension of the belt is less than the width of the sleeve into which it is being inserted. Although not critical, typically for a preferred visual appearance the width dimension of a sleeve is no greater than approximately twice the width dimension of an underlying belt. In one preferred embodiment the non-buckle end of the belt is inserted into an elongated pocket through a transverse opening in the hidden side of the sleeve so that the hole in the non-buckle end of the belt needed for closure of the belt is accessible through longitudinal openings in the exposed and hidden surfaces in the distal end of the sleeve. It is important that the hidden surface of the sleeve is facing and aligned with the rear surface of the inserted belt. Also, when the underlying belt features a belt loop near its buckle, and particularly for small pocket embodiments, it is preferred that the buckle end of the sleeve is inserted through the belt loop, prior to being anchored to the belt buckle""s tongue. Following insertion of the non-buckle end of the belt into the pocket in the distal end of the sleeve, and optional insertion of the buckle end of the sleeve through the belt loop or loops attached to the belt, the tongue of the belt buckle is angled forward into a position approximately perpendicular to the main body of the belt and inserted through the two reinforced apertures in the buckle end of the sleeve, one through the hidden surface of the sleeve and the other in an aligned position through the exposed surface of the sleeve. Optionally, the two reinforced apertures can be secured together through stitching or hardware (not shown) to form a single aperture for enhanced ease in insertion therethrough of the tongue. Subsequently, the buckle end of the sleeve is inserted through the central aperture of the belt buckle and brought behind the buckle to be fastened either to the hidden surface of the sleeve or to the rear surface of the portion of the belt exposed between the transverse opening and the reinforced aperture. Release of the belt from the sleeve would be rapid and simply require a parting of the two quick-release fastener parts, withdrawal of the buckle end of the sleeve backwards through the central opening in the belt buckle, removal of the tongue from the two optionally joined reinforced apertures in the buckle end of the sleeve, removal of the sleeve""s buckle end from the belt loop when the belt loop is optionally used, and a sliding of the main body of the belt out and away from the pocket in the distal end of the sleeve. The removal process would therefore be quick and easy for a people having an average or greater than average level of coordination, and still manageable by those with some restriction in hand flexibility or movement, and children. Fasteners particularly suited for ease of use by children, such as hook-and-loop types of fasteners, could be used on all sleeves manufactured in sizes and with material designs appropriate for a child""s belt. In most instances, except for the use of very expensive materials, use of the present invention sleeve to change the outward appearance of a belt would be lower in cost than the purchase of an entirely new belt. Also, although it is contemplated for the sleeves of the present invention to completely cover the front surface of an underlying belt during use, depending on the length of the pocket used in the sleeve, the rear surface of the belt can also be completely covered by the sleeve or varying portions of the rear surface can remain exposed. As a result, particularly in embodiments where a belt would be completed encased within a sleeve, frequent use of the present invention will reduce the amount of frictional contact applied to the side edges of the belt by the belt alignment loops of a garment, as well as by the belt buckle""s tongue as the ends of the underlying belt are connected for use, and thereby protect the exterior surface of a favorite belt and extend its useful life. Further, the present invention has the advantage of using no separable small parts to attach the sleeve to the underlying belt that could become lost between uses, and requires no special tools to attach or detach a sleeve from an underlying belt. The sleeves of the present invention are further configured so that when each is in its optimum usable position upon an underlying belt, it will not interfere with the routine fastening of the belt or its garment support function. Thus the present invention can make any existing belt with a tongue and a width dimension slightly smaller than the width dimension of the sleeve into a more versatile fashion accessory.
The description herein provides preferred embodiments of the present invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the sleeves or their methods of construction. For example, variations in the type of material from which the sleeves are made; the number of pieces of sleeve material used during manufacture to construct each sleeve; the number of material layers used in each sleeve, such as the use of a contrasting panel to underlay a sheer or semi-sheer front sleeve panel or the use of interfacing; the color or type of reinforcement used around the transverse opening, the openings through the distal end of the sleeve, and the apertures used for insertion of the tongue to maintain the integrity of the surrounding material during repeated insertion and removal of the belt therefrom; the length dimension of the longitudinal openings on the distal end of the sleeve; the size of the pocket used for insertion and anchoring of the non-buckled end of the belt; the type of fastener used to secure the sleeve into its optimum usable position over a belt; the manner in which the fasteners are attached, connected, welded, adhered, or bonded to the sleeve and/or belt material; and the spaced-apart distance between the reinforced aperture and the transverse opening used for insertion of the belt, other than those shown and described herein, may be incorporated into the present invention. Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than being limited to the examples given.